Strength in the Face of Evil

Sermon by: Rev. Mary Alice Mulligan, Ph.D.

Scripture:1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11

Over the past few weeks, we learned the New Testament letters attributed to Peter are distinct from what we are used to hearing in Paul’s letters. Peter’s were written later than Paul’s and emphasize different ideas about Christ and the church. So listening to what these letters have to say can be helpful, to remind us there were differences of opinion in the very earliest believers, even theological differences, perhaps initiated by changing circumstances in society. The letters of Peter expect followers of Jesus to undergo persecution. As we listen to Peter, two weeks ago we heard how Christians, in the midst of hardships, are formed into a new people to be working together in Christ. Last week we learned that we must be able to articulate why we believe in Jesus and why our faith leads us to work for particular social justice concerns, even in the face of persecution. Today, Peter gets even blunter. Opposition to our faith and work is a “fiery ordeal,” whose source, Peter says, is the devil, although we would probably say the source is the power of evil, opposing the goodness of God. Peter assures us, the power and grace of God will triumph. Listen for the word of God as you read from chapters 4 and 5 of the First Letter of Peter.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.

Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

Some people complain that not being able to have their living nativity on the courthouse lawn is persecution, as if Christians should be able to do whatever they want on government property completely disregarding the rights of people of other religions. But true persecution comes from evil intentions, aimed at thwarting God’s purposes, like throwing someone in jail for demanding the right to vote or for protesting a law forbidding wearing hijab to school. No one should be surprised, the letter says in effect, when all hell breaks loose against the Church. Whether in the 1st Century or the 21st, religious commitment can lead to persecution.

We have to face it. Evil is real. There are forces in the world opposing the goodness of God. Granted, theologians have argued for millennia about the source of evil. Was it God’s plan at creation? Did evil come from human failure? Is some devilish force active among us? Probably we each have some idea about the source and power of evil, but most of us feel comfortable leaving much of that theorizing to theologians. However, one thing we probably agree on is that evil exists. If we had to define evil, a key piece is that evil opposes what God wants for the world. If we assume God wants wholeness and fruitfulness and abundant life for all creation, then evil opposes the flourishing of those things.

When we turn to thinking about human participation in evil, we usually think of something to do with sin. We wander into sinfulness when we turn away from what is sacred, what is godly. When our attention is pulled away from what is holy and good (we might say when our attention is pulled away from what God wants), we most often become focused on ourselves. Personal desires take precedence over everything. And when what we want for ourselves becomes our main focus, when we turn away from God, we have fallen into what scripture calls “idolatry.” We worship what is not God; what is finite, imperfect, human. We might not think of it as worshipping – the accumulation of possessions or power or prestige – but if pursuit of these things becomes our consuming passion, another word for a consuming passion is “worship.” We desire what is not godly. Instead of putting our energy into the way God wants the whole world, we put our energy into the way we want just our life to be. Ancient wisdom teachers said the result is we become in bondage to our desires. Take a look around. Instead of making sure all lives flourish, there are selfish and ugly powers that do not merely ignore other people. They oppress them, disregarding how paying someone starvation wages actually leads to their not having enough to eat, which means children’s brains are not developing fully, young people’s dreams are smashed, and parents feel more hopeless every day. Evil is alive and well among us.

So, opposition to God is real. Forces exist which try to thwart what God wants for creation. In Peter’s letter, the major opposition to God is the Empire, because the early church threatened the Empire. Hard to believe, isn’t it? That puny little band of Christians frightening the Empire so significantly that government forces rallied to squash them. A fiery ordeal, Peter calls it. If those scrawny Christians had merely confessed their faith in Jesus, the Empire would not have cared. Beliefs didn’t raise up the opposition. It was what Christians did that got them into trouble. Rome declared Caesar to be Lord of all, but Christians claimed Jesus as Lord. What was more dangerous was, they refused to act as if Caesar were Lord. They acted from their commitment to Jesus and his call to love and serve especially the least. Rome hated that. The rich and powerful mattered to Rome; the poor were only to be used for cheap labor and discarded when they could no longer work. If Christians worked for justice, Rome noticed and hated them. The adversary is a prowling power opposing God’s purposes. When Christians resisted the commodification of the poor, Rome could not ignore them.

So what about today? Where is Empire opposing those acting according to the ways of God? One place is in the opposition to those working for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. If the offices merely pointed out there are lots of different people in the world, no one would care. But when offices claim everyone deserves equal treatment, the Empire raises it eyebrows. “Equity” is the warning bell for opposition, because equity wants African American children to hear about people who look like them when they read U.S. history. Equity wants white children to hear about non-white people in their lessons. Equity wants children to hear about a broad mix of families, each treated as equally valuable and normal.

One specific fiery ordeal some of our children are facing today involves the oppression of trans youth. The church and other people of good will fight against the denial of services for trans youth, the refusal to provide healthful counseling, gender affirming medications and treatment. Meanwhile, those who oppose God’s purposes for good in the world want to deny these rights for trans youth. In other words, what they are actually doing is denying the right for some of God’s precious children to exist. So, we have to face it. There is opposition to what God wants in the world.

But justice is coming. God will have God’s way in the world. We need to claim this important truth. Justice is coming. But not just in some long-awaited, end of the world, eschatological consummation of the Realm of God, time (although however God wants to do the final consummation of the Realm is fine). But Peter is clear. The opposition those early Christians faced was happening to their siblings in the faith all over the Empire, which meant the church all over was working to bring about God’s will. Hear this important good news. Even then, there was an Empire-wide connection of those working for justice.

So, the great reminder for us is: We are not alone in the struggle. People of goodwill are active. Just a few days ago, New College seniors celebrated an alternative graduation ceremony in protest of the conservative take-over of their school. President of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Maya Wiley, was the keynote speaker. We are not alone.

But the work isn’t just in Sarasota. Mission Committees in United Church of Christ congregations all along the US-Mexico border have shifted into high gear with the ending of Title 42. They are providing lifesaving, direct aid to people detained in US “camps.” They are bringing life-saving water, fruit, emergency supplies, coverings for shade, and clothes. But not just those border churches. Our whole denomination has created a network of Immigrant Welcoming Churches, as people are assisted in relocating all over the US. We are not alone in the struggle.

But of course, God’s work is going on all over the world. The International Red Cross/ Red Crescent Movement is a humanitarian network of [can you believe it?] 80 million people helping other people in natural disasters, areas of conflict, and other social issues. They provided aid following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, in the midst of the Sudan conflict, and most recently in Myanmar following Cyclone Mocha. All over the world, people of good will are carrying out God’s purposes for justice and abundant life for all. We are not alone. We who are in Christ even now are being strengthened, restored, and supported by the grace of God to carry on the work, because justice is being won, bit by bit, until God’s full Realm arrives.